Chantal: Post Trip Reflections

I can’t believe it has already been a week since we left New York! The trip was amazing! Honestly I didn't expect it to impact me as much as it did. I really loved the different ways we volunteered throughout our stay in NYC. One day we volunteered at a soup kitchen, another day we did random acts of kindness, and the last day we made PB&J sandwiches and handed them out to the homeless people. I really like working one on one with the people in New York. We got to talk to them and interact with them. We were able to hear some of their stories too. I think working directly with the people of New York allowed me to see them as humans with different backgrounds. Before this trip it was easy to lump all homeless people together, but now I see them each as an important individual person.

In fact, the most important thing I learned was probably to see everyone as a person that deserves attention and the right to be treated as a human. I think the people I interacted with taught me this. I loved that this trip allowed us the opportunity to not only serve the homeless but to also serve ordinary people. We handed out flowers to random people and broke down the walls that many people in New York have up. It allowed for a moment of intimacy and human to human contact in this busy world.

I would definitely want my peers to know that the serving does not have to be a super big and difficult thing to do. It can be as simple as buying someone lunch or giving away a flower. I would also want my peers to know that we don’t only have to serve the homeless but we can also serve each other to make the world a better place. I would convince them of these points by showing them the videos and pictures we took. However, I think the best way to prove this to them is to bring them volunteering with me.

I think the influencers of this community include the mayor, major business owners and the ordinary people who live in the community. I would want them to know that little steps in the right direction can make a big difference. I would also want them to change their view of the homeless in society. I think we often think of them as a nuisance, but we should view them as people who have fallen on hard times and need a helping hand.

Overall I had an awesome time serving in NYC and I can’t wait to serve here in Philly!

~Chantal

Michele: giving flowers away

This is a quick video taken soon after I ran after the conductor to give him a flower. Looking back, I would not have traded this ASB experience for anything. I got to meet more of my peers, spent quality time with friends, met new people, and helped others all at the same time. I learned that I can give back to my community in many ways, whether it is a simple smile or handing out a flower. I was really sad to leave NY, but I can’t wait to go back.

http://youtu.be/Pp_vaCtPLQs

- Michele Chai

A Quick Summary

Here is a video of the specific acts of kindness Maya, Michele, Chantal, and Monika did during Day Two of service. The quality isn't the best, thanks to my iPhone but I hope you can still get an idea of what we were doing. Featured in the video is us holding doors outside of Trader Joes, delivering a warm pretzel and hotdog to a homeless woman, and giving a working officer a flower in the middle on NYC traffic! There were many laughs and adventures throughout that day as we had to put our prides aside and interact/converse with total strangers. A great learning experience!   -Maya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHf6PstiEPM&feature=youtu.be

Joelle's Reflection Video

Here's a video with some pictures from our trip to NYC. I really enjoyed my time on this trip and hope this trip keeps going for years to come!
Joelle Rush


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EASTP65g5Js&feature=youtu.be

Monika's Moments:Gaining a Different Experience

Hi Everyone,

After some time to think about my experiences in NYC I decided to do a video slide show for my reflection (link is below). I learned a lot about the community as well as myself on this trip. I would recommend this trip and service project to everyone because you can help people and learn about yourself along the way. It was worthwhile and I can't wait for the next opportunity.

http://youtu.be/29gm488Ebho

Because We're Happy

Attached is a Flipgram ( http://flipagram.com/f/SUBTSohLkK ) collage made up of some of the great people we interacted with during our "Day of Kindness." As a group we bought a bouquet of flowers and handed individual flowers out to some people throughout Time Square who looked like they could use a little attention. These people varied from street cart vendors, some who were homeless, random new yorkers, show performers, children, police officers, and so much more. Although all of these people were strangers to us, I felt like for an instant we made a difference. The overall experience gave me the opportunity to not only get lost in city, but a chance to impact someone else's life with a little bit of positivity.

Oh... and some more pictures because I couldn't help myself!  - Maya

SUENING: HUMAN TO HUMAN

            It’s a little unsettling to know that today was our last day of service. I've gained such a great amount of knowledge about New York, the citizens of New York, the homeless, my peers, and most importantly, myself. The hostel we stayed at was way beyond my expectations. It gave me a great first impression of what a hostel is. Because it was my first time in one I was unsure of whether or not I’d enjoy it. After this weekend, I definitely do plan on visiting more hostels in the future. The people here were lovely and I was enlightened by the stories they brought with them.

            Today’s service was the most touching because of the mere fact that we had to go out and find the homeless. At the soup kitchen, they would have to come and find us. We saw them in their raw state. We communicated with them one-on-one. We entered their territory. The barrier that often times delineated them as homeless and us as the rest of society vanished. Instead of this experience being human-to-homeless, it was human-to-human. At around 10am, our group gathered around the kitchen and packed homemade sandwiches. To "step up" our acts of kindness, words of wisdom were written on the outside of each bag. The quotes ranged form being as simple as smile, today is a new day to more in-depth ones like change your thoughts and change your world. I thought that idea made all the difference; it gave the receiver a sense of hope and something to smile about and be thankful for. Around the afternoon, we all hopped on the train and went on our own excursions to find those we thought we were in-need of these packed sandwiches.

            This one man, who was right in front of me at the crosswalk intersection, appeared ill and wore ragged clothing. However, something about him said that he wasn’t homeless and it became a challenge deciphering whether or not I should hand him the bag of lunch. My intuition said that he was, so after we had crossed the street and the crowded group of New Yorkers dispersed, I approached him and told him that this bag was for him and wished him a good rest of his day. He looked at me confused, but replied with a simple thank you and walked away. As he was walking ahead, he kept on looking back. I was unsure why, but we continued to walk in the same direction. He waited for us to catch up and said, “The reason I said thank you was because I’m not from here. I’m on my way to renew my passport. I’m from Kenya. I’m here for cancer treatment. That’s why I look like this.” The man pointed to his face and then to the rest of his body. He then lowered his shirt and showed us his scar. “I’m almost done with treatment, so thank you for this.” He walked away. I was happy that this man took the time to wait up and share this story with us. It made me realize that though he was not homeless, this little act of kindness may have served as his beacon of hope –whether it was for a better tomorrow, better health, or better society. A little act of kindness, either to the obviously needy or not-so-obvious, can change someone’s world. It can give people that little boost that they need to continue their day, to keep on going. This service taught me to stop thinking that only homeless need help; there are plenty of people who live their lives so marginally close to the homeless, but probably receive less attention because they just aren't quite homeless.

            I am personally more than grateful for this experience. It was life-changing, and I wouldn't change a single thing about it. A big thank you to everyone who made this experience possible.

MONDAY, 16 MARCH 2015 || SUENING, BARBARA 19

Jenna: Just Do It

The past two days have showed me how easy giving can be. You don't need an organization, a location, or anyone other than yourself. You don't need to find a bad neighborhood, or spend a lot of time or money. Give a sandwich to a struggling person, a flower to an elderly woman on the subway.  Just give anything to anyone, and put a smile on both of your faces. Service doesn't have to be a thing categorized by wealth either, it can just be doing a nice thing. Pay for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop, maybe you'll change their day for the better, and maybe they'll pay it forward. Service is so easy, you don't need a reason other than to spread happiness and hope.

Chantal: Flowers and Paper Bags

The biggest thing I learned on this trip is how to serve and love people in everyday life with random acts of kindness. On Sunday, My group bought some flowers and handed them out to strangers. They didn't have to be homeless, which just gave a flower to anyone we thought needed one. People were very receptive and grateful. We were able to brighten someone's day with a small token of kindness.
On Monday, our group as a whole handed out PB&J sandwiches to the homeless. On the bags were kind and encouraging words. It was really fun being able to help make someone's day better with a small simple act.

~Chantal King

SUENING: HELPER'S HIGH

            Because the head leader of Caldwell Soup Kitchen had to make an emergency flight across seas, there was a change of plans. We were no longer going to volunteer at that service site. Nonetheless, we still participated in an act of service. Today, we were given the freedom to wander across the big city of New York with one task in mind: complete a random act of kindness. 

            I started the day unsure of what my random act of kindness would be. I started google-ing and youtube-ing other acts of kindness for inspiration, but nothing really struck me. I thought maybe I would give out flowers or hold the line for someone. Maybe I would buy someone food. I wanted to do something different, but something that I knew would really be appreciated. By mid-day, I was still unsure of what to do. I ordered a tall green tea from Starbucks like I always do and as I reached for a straw I realized that there was only one straw left. I told the barista that he had run out of straws but he said there's more where the condiments were. Ding-ding-ding! A bulb went off in my head. I was going to transfer the straws from the condiment section to the straws at the counter. While it sounded like an awesome idea being that it was overwhelmingly busy, it also sounded like a foolish and weird idea. I walked around a bit and thought it over. I don't know what pushed me to do it, but I came back. This time, being that it was my second time around and there was already Starbucks in my hand, I felt even more foolish. I hesitated a few more times before I actually took the handful of straws and transferred it to the counter. When I did the transfer, a lady working there noticed and her face lit up as she thanked me. Automatically, I experienced this type of high that others have described to me as "helper's high." Something inside me felt great and left me wanting to do more. I told Julie, my friend who was with me at the time, that we needed to go to the next café ASAP and see if they needed any straws that needed to be replaced. Though we never actually visited the next café nor checked out their straw situation, I learned that no matter how foolish of minuscule a deed seems, it is still a deed and someone still benefits. 

SUNDAY, 15 MARCH 2015 || SUENING, BARBARA 19

Dana Logue: Service in the Big Apple

3/15/2015

Today, our service was to perform Random Acts of Kindness throughout the city as we explored.  For my first act of kindness, I paid for a young girl’s meal at McDonald's who was standing in front of me.  She was very confused as to why I did it and I simply replied ‘because pay it forward.’  Hopefully because of my act of kindness, she will feel inclined to do the same in the future and make someone’s day a little bit better. 

Another act of kindness that I performed with my friend Peter was buying a homeless man and women a coffee and food from McDonald’s.  They were very grateful when we handed them the food, and we got to talk to them to hear their story.  The man and the women moved up to New York from Florida and bought an apartment online.  When they got to New York, the apartment deal ended up being a scam.  He lost his job and she fell ill, and before they knew it everything they had was gone and they were on the street homeless. They are now trying to get enough money to make it back to Florida, and I feel that through our random act of kindness we are bringing them one step closer to that goal.

While we were talking to the couple, they mentioned that they ‘live’ on the path: The NJ transit line.  Peter thought it would be a good idea to go there to see if there were other homeless people we could help.  At Penn Station, we purchased coffee and bagels and handed them out to the homeless people we saw down there.  I was extremely happy that my random act of kindness helped the homeless men and women of New York, but was very sad when I saw the NYPD come and wake the homeless people up to get out of Penn Station.  They have nowhere else to go, and they were not bothering anyone.  This just goes to show that even though our random acts of kindness help in the moment, there is much more to be done to improve the quality of life for the homeless population. 

3/16/2015

            Today we woke up and made peanut butter and jelly sandwich bag lunches to be handed out to the homeless men and women around New York.  We started at Port Authority, and then went to Grand Central Station and Penn Station.  By going to these places, I was able to become more comfortable with the NYC community.  Before this trip, I had never been on a Subway, to Grand Central, or to Port Authority. Immersing myself in the NYC culture gives me a greater appreciation for the city and its diversity as this is what gives the city life.  My experience in New York also allowed me to understand the homeless people and their struggle on a deeper level.  Most of the people who are homeless did not plan for this to happen to them, and at one point were just like us.  It is sad to see them on the streets with most people that walk by ignoring them.  I am definitely guilty of ignoring the homeless, or ‘turning the other cheek’ at times, but by dealing with them head on I now see them in a different light.

Ashley Cummins : 'All you need is LOVE"

Today was a 360 from Friday when the ASB honors had volunteered at the Caldwell Church soup kitchen in the Bronx. Instead of those in need having to come to us we went to them and offered  delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What made it even more special were the messages about love, strength, courage and inspiration that were hand written on the paper bags. It was this little extra touch of love that New York City needs. Love, compassion, patience it seems the world does not have enough of it these days or really just not giving enough compassion to those who need it the most. So it felt good today to spend the morning making a couple dozen sandwiches, write a message of love and pass them out with a warm smile.

PB& Jessica

 Aivy paying for the lady behind her at Dunkin Donuts

       Today and yesterday were different from your everyday, "usual" types of service. Yesterday we went out and decided to do random acts of kindness for everyday people. Today we made peanut butter and jelly sandwich lunches and then took them around train stations and gave them to the homeless. Even though our original plans got cancelled and switched around to a bit more unorganized, we still helped people out and made their days. These past two days we went out on our own, with no one really giving us much directions, and served people. It was really cool to see all of the different ways that we could help people and put a smile on their face. It could be as simple as paying for the person behind you in line at dunkin donuts, or at the MoMA or helping someone find their way in New York city. Doing these different types of service made me realize that there are a lot of ways to serve people besides going to a soup kitchen. There are plenty of simple ways to serve and you could turn someones whole day around just by giving them a peanut butter and jelly.


                                   

PB&Js for the homeless

PETER BUTTER JELLY TIME

Our service over the past few days has been diverse: we worked in a soup kitchen giving food to anyone seeking a hot meal on Saturday, we committed random acts of kindness on Sunday, and today we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to give out to people in Penn and Grand Central stations, and on the street. What I liked best about our service on the street today and yesterday was that it was unlike anything I have done before. At home in high school, I worked consistently at a food bank one Saturday a month, with some other random volunteer experiences through school organizations sprinkled in throughout the years. As a result, I thought that doing community service was going to a specific place at a specific time and performing a specific task. And once it was done, I went home and ate lunch and went on with my day. What we have done these past two days has shown me that service is accessible and it comes in many forms. “Doing service” does not simply mean signing up for a time slot and then going on with your ceaseless activities – it is a way of life, a job, a duty, even. The things we did this past weekend were completely accessible to anyone, which is what I liked best about them. Anyone can buy a homeless couple a cheeseburger and coffee and listen to their story of they lost everything in a housing scam that left them on the streets. Anyone can buy flowers and hand them out to strangers. And anyone can make a sandwich. These are things that can be done on a daily basis. They are not time commitments or things you have to schedule your day around like more organized forms of service. While organized service is certainly beneficial and is great to do, these things are small and seemingly insignificant, but they are profound, as I have seen.

            Today while we were handing out sandwiches near Grand Central Station, we handed one to a man who looked like he was not in the best situation. He walked away after we handed it to him, but he kept looking back at us as we continued up the street. He came up to us and explained that he was from Kenya and was on his way to renew his passport. He told us he was a cancer patient, and that he appreciated what we had given him. Though it sounds corny and cliché, the smallest things can have a strong effect, both for someone who gives and for someone who receives. What I have learned from this experience, from listening to people and giving, is that everyone has a story, and people are not at all what they appear to be on the surface. Homeless people are not crazy, and you do not have to be homeless to deserve an act of kindness. We had no way to know that the Kenyan man was a cancer patient in need of renewing his passport, nor could we know that he would be grateful for what we gave him. I have learned that I can be a part of making someone’s story improve, even by doing things that are simple.

-Peter 

Looking Back -Sara's Story

Last day in the beautiful city of New York. It has most certainly been a week to remember. I feel more humble about what I have in my life after seeing people just like me living in poverty. Today we went to different stations such as Port Authority ,Grand Central, and Penn Station. There we gave out peanut-butter sandwiches to the people we thought were having struggles . Everyone was very thankful about the food ,but one man really opened my eyes. A person can look normal but behind their surface there is a story. The man was telling my group about how he actually came to America from Kenya to get treatment for cancer, but was in the city to renew his passport. He was very thankful for the food we gave him because that one little gesture brightened his day. When he showed us his cancer scars, everything came to perspective to me. Life can really hit you unexpectedly, but all you can do is hope and be positive.

I am going to take a lot of wisdom from the experiences I have faced from this trip. When I go back to my home of Philadelphia,I want to always try to commit an act of kindness. Growing up in Philly, I have constantly seen many struggles,similar to people in New York. I feel as though small things such as giving food or just saying positive words to someone who is struggling is all you need to impact their life. These days of service don't have to end when we leave New York. If we take a small time out of our lives to make a positive impact in someone's life, the world will be a slightly better place.

Random Acts of Kindness and PB&J

The past two days of service have been fantastic. On Sunday, the service act was less structured, but just as important! We hung out around Times Square and preformed random acts of kindness. As a group, we bought Mcdonald’s for the person in front of us in the line, and as my service act, I bought a lottery ticket from a vending stand and gave it to a person. I hope they won! Overall, I was quite surprised to see how shocked people were to receive these random acts of kindness. It goes to show that as a culture we don’t do it enough, which is quite a shame.

As for today’s service activity, we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and lunch packs for the homeless and distributed them at various stations. We first went to Port Authority, Grand Central, and finally Penn station. It was really rewarding to make the lunch at the hostel and get to see their reactions first hand.

-Julie Folger